CB's 2008 Festive Forty

Playlist by C.B. Thundercloud - 23rd December 2008

Wasn’t 2008 a bundle of laughs eh? …..never mind - burn this immediately and hand it to the bailiffs when they come knockin’ on Christmas Eve. You have Archie’s guarantee that they’ll place the presents back under the tree and skip merrily away never to return…..

I make no apology for the few multiple appearances from truly great albums that lit up my world in the last 12 months. In summary - if your nearest and dearest don’t use yuletide to ensure you have a copy of Fleet Foxes’ debut - then there are some serious questions to be answered…..enjoy pop pickers…..

Husky Rescue - Diamonds In The Sky (Ghost Is Not Real, 2008)

Like bathing in clouds. Truly trippy man.

The Whip - Save My Soul (X Marks Destination, 2008)

Dust off that mini-moog - there’s glory to be had in retro exploitation

Goldfrapp - Some People (Seventh Tree, 2008)

Not quite enough to forgive past DM remix butchery - but charming all the same

Cat Power - New York (Jukebox, 2008)

Standout quirky cover gem from a boxful of ‘em. Clever girl.

The Enemy - Happy Birthday Jane (Piano Version) (B-Sides, 2008)

Slightly cheating but a nod of appreciation for their contribution to festivals and live enjoyment - they’ll be back soon

Pete And The Pirates - Mr. Understanding (Little Death, 2008)

Catchier than chlamydia but easier to recommend to your sister

The Pigeon Detectives - Keep On Your Dress (Emergency, 2008)

Ethics score in the 90th minute to snatch a point in West Yorks - but not for very long

Glasvegas - Geraldine (Glasvegas, 2008)

Tales of social breakdown, knife crime and sectarian football violence from my hometown - sponsored by the Strathclyde tourist board....less positive than Harvest Home...

Bloc Party - One Month Off (Intimacy, 2008)

Sighs of relief as they cast off vast pretension to return to form - ignore Weekend in The City and celebrate this instead

Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It (Our Ill Wills, 2008)

Dependable as the Scandanavian eccentricity that created it. Brilliant.

Metallica - That Was Just Your Life (Death Magnetic, 2008)

7 mins and 8 secs but your hair will grow by 6 months in the same instant…really…

Blood Red Shoes - Say Something Say Anything (Box of Secrets, 2008)

Iffy album but guitar chops manage to pull this off

The Kooks - Shine On (Konk, 2008)

Guilty pleasure? Don’t care - irresistible karaoke sing a long

Matt Costa - Mr Pitiful (Unfamiliar Faces, 2008)

Californian folksy nonsense - your granny will love this

The Audition - Heaven For The Weather (Champion, 2008)

Every year since 1979 has seen a ‘My Sharona’ revival attempt - this one is not half bad

The Subways - All Or Nothing (All Or Nothing, 2008)

Still bangin em out - this title track is their best for a while

Operahouse - Born A Boy (Single download, 2008)

My top tip for 2009 - they are coming to find your tappy toes

Fucked Up - Black Albino Bones (The Chemistry Of Common Life, 2008)

Punk rock in safe hands, giving it a present and a future - dextrous head explosion

Last Shadow Puppets - Meeting Place (The Age Of The Understatement, 2008)

First of two entries for Mr Turner’s pet project - veteran arrangements for one so young

Vampire Weekend - Ladies Of Cambridge (Vampire Weekend (Jap Import bonus), 2008)

Big mistake to exclude this from the main attraction - hold it to your ear to hear the sound of Cape Cod graveyards

Alkaline Trio - Ruin It (Agony & Irony, 2008)

For a long time fan, a hugely disappointing and over produced album - only this comes close to the true sleaze and bile underneath

AC/DC - Big Jack (Black Ice, 2008)

Back In Black Ice and mercifully more bar band than stadium rock. Can’t wait to jump on the tour bandwagon in 09.

Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody (Only By The Night, 2008)

Forever grabbing victory from the jaws of burnout defeat - a soundtrack for life.

Alabama 3 - Woke Up This Morning (Sopranos Mix) (Hits and Exit Wounds, 2008)

Cheekily grabbed from a solid 08 retrospective. Like FLC if they abandoned Brooklyn for Nashville via Brixton…sort of…

Late Of The Pier - The Bears Are Coming (Fantasy Black Channel, 2008)

Even more promising than it is bizarre. Don’t dare to step on the pavement cracks.

Bloc Party - Better Than Heaven (Intimacy, 2008)

Believe it, back to their very best - a contemporary haunting - no one else does drums like this

Elbow - An Audience with the Pope (The Seldom Seen Kid, 2008)

Perennial dirge-meisters mix humour with lust and come out almost smiling

Oasis - The Shock Of The Lightning (Dig Out Your Soul, 2008)

Hidden down the side of the sofa since 1994? Still obnoxious but back with a bang.

My Morning Jacket - Smokin From Shootin (Evil Urges, 2008)

When not falling off stage to near death - back to take stateside music in just one of a million worthy directions

Last Shadow Puppets - My Mistakes Were Made For You (The Age Of The Understatement, 2008)

Worth the admission on its own. A Bond theme for when 007 finds himself in the steel city.

The Courteeners - What Took You So Long (St Jude, 2008)

The real deal and seems to have been here for years already

Foals - Red Socks Pugie (Antidotes, 2008)

Sublime slide rule tom-foolery from left-field, Oxfordshire. No idea what they are on, or on about, but when it stands up to this much scrutiny…

Vampire Weekend - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Vampire Weekend, 2008)

Such genteel use of profanity and township tapestry. Not catching them live was unforgivable.

Shout Out Louds - Normandie (Our Ill Wills, 2008)

A glorious triumph of song craft over insane lyrical ramblings. It’s dark a lot in Stockholm.

The Courteeners - Bide Your Time (St Jude, 2008)

Age old Mancunian angst and attrition - but with new knobs on..

Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes, 2008)

A wondrous ability to rescue the darkest of days - simple nursery rhyme in the round that somehow transcends any vulgar written tribute

Foals - Big Big Love (Fig1) (Antidotes, 2008)

Simple couplets and form meets complex rhythm and tone. Outcome is as big and unfathomable as the night sky.

Oasis - Falling Down (Dig Out Your Soul, 2008)

Still can’t decide whether this is more brilliant than it is a surprise and shock. Set aside your prejudice and dive back in.

Kings Of Leon - Revelry (Only By The Night, 2008)

“with the fire in my bones and the sweet taste of kerosene”….if you’ve ever tried to explain to your lover where you have been for the last three days…transcribe to your headstone…

Fleet Foxes - Mykonos (Sun Giant EP, 2008)

Have we mentioned before how gifted this lot are? Don’t hesitate; go feed your soul with genius.